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Abstract??To explore clinical protocols for the prevention of early-onset group BStreptococcus(EOGBS) disease of the newborn in Japan, we conducted a multicenter questionnaire survey. Of 32 regional centers participating in the Kyoto Neonatal Study Group, 28 provided usable data concerning prevention practices undertaken between 2000 and 2004. Twenty-three (82%) of the 28 hospitals implemented bacteriological screening to identify maternal GBS carriage, and all 23 hospitals administered intrapartum antibiotics to all screening-positive pregnant women. There were no institutes that used risk-based strategies. In the 23 hospitals, bacteriological screening was conducted mostly by lower vaginal swab alone (n= 18). Eighteen hospitals performed screening once during pregnancy, either before 34 weeks? gestation (n= 6) or between 35 and 37 weeks? gestation (n= 12). Oral antepartum antibiotics, when carriage was identified, were administered at 12 (52%) hospitals. Twenty institutes used penicillins for intrapartum prophylaxis. However, the loading dose for chemoprophylaxis ranged from 0.5 to 2?g, and the interval between repeat administrations ranged from 4 to 12?h. Although the results indicated that more than 80% of the hospitals surveyed had introduced some screening-based prevention practices, the timing of the bacteriological screening during the pregnancy, the number of screenings, and the screening sites, as well as the antibiotics used, and their dosage, varied widely. Because of these highly variable methods, the efficacy of the implementation of preventive practices could not be determined. This study is the first to have described preventive practices for EOGBS disease in Japan in the era of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. In light of the above results, a larger study under a unifying protocol would be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have observed simultaneously temporal fluctuation of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and its background-light emission from single Ag nanoaggregates that were adsorbed with metal-free tetraphenylporphine (H2TPP) molecules. We found that temporally stable SERRS spectra showed clearly a SERRS band that is attributed to a stretching mode of a chemical bond between a carbon atom and a non-hydrogenated nitrogen atom (C−N). This stretching mode was not observed in regular resonance Raman spectra which are free from surface enhancement. On the other hand, we also found that temporally unstable SERRS spectra did not clearly show a C−N stretching mode in SERRS bands. Furthermore, temporally stable SERRS spectra were accompanied by temporally stable background-light emission. Kobayashi et al. J. Phys. Chem.1985, 89, 5174 reported that formation of an Ag−N bond between surface Ag atoms and non-hydrogenated N atoms in a pyrrole ring enhances the intensity of a C−N stretching mode. Thus, the observed relationship between clear appearance of a C−N stretching mode and temporal stability of SERRS plus background-light emission strongly suggests that formation of a stable Ag−N bond suppresses fluctuation of both SERRS and background-light emission. Furthermore, the observed relationship implies that chemical contribution to SERRS is stabilization of H2TPP molecules that are adsorbed on SERRS-active sites by formation of Ag−N bonds. Additionally, we attributed background-light emission to luminescence of complexes between H2TPP molecules and surface Ag atoms considering possible formation of Ag−N bonds, synchronized SERRS intensity with background-light emission intensity, blue-shifted background-light emission maxima from normal fluorescence maxima, and previous reports related to electronic structures of H2TPP molecules on Ag surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We previously reported an increased prevalence of asthma among patients who had lived in temporary housing after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. We investigated the prognosis of asthma in former residents of temporary housing after allergen avoidance., Methods: Asthma was diagnosed in adults ≥ 15 years from 2014 to 2019 who had lived in temporary housing in Ishinomaki City for at least 1 year. The disease prognosis after the intervention of allergen avoidance in cases that were followed for more than 3 years during the 6-year study period was analyzed. We measured the Dermatophagoides farinae -specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in serum, and the amount of Dermatophagoides group 1 ( Der 1) antigen on their futons or mattresses. We instructed residents in an allergen avoidance strategy that included 32 tasks, including using microfiber bedding covers., Results: Of the 202 examinees who were followed for at least 3 years during the 6-year study period, 72(35.6%) were asthmatic during at least one examination. Of these 72 asthmatics, 55(76.4%) developed the disease after the earthquake, and more than half of the cases that we diagnosed at the examination were mild intermittent asthma. After the allergen-avoidance intervention, both the Der 1 level on the futons or mattresses of residents who were diagnosed with asthma but who were nonasthmatic at the final screening and their serum Der f -specific IgE levels significantly decreased (P < 0.01) at the final examination., Conclusion: Antigen avoidance ameliorated mild asthma that was prevalent among residents of temporary housing after the earthquake., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.